Wolfsbane
by Twilight Stallion
Summary: Link begins to live his life in secret, a human by day and a wolf by night. As man and beast become one, his mind is afflicted with impure thoughts of violence. Can he keep his sanity while protecting his darkest secret? Or will his village be in danger?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda belongs to Nintendo. Period. No questions asked.**

* * *

"Hey, Link! Are you up yet? It's morning already!"

_It's too early for this, _Link thought to himself, eyes still closed. He lay there for a few minutes, reluctant to rise, bathed in the light shining in from the one window of his house. He sighed, stretching out over the soft fibers of the rug, paws vibrating slightly as he extended his legs away.

"LINK! Hello up there!"

Recognizing young Talo's voice shouting from outside, Link allowed his eyelids to lift away the darkness, peacefully viewing the roughly carved interior of his house, the wall carvings, the tattered red shade hanging gracelessly from the window. His blurred blue eyes were somewhat crossed, noticing with some confusion the tip of his black nose sticking from his gray furred muzzle.

_Uh oh…_

He quickly stood up on all fours, opening his teeth filled maw to let out a deep, cavernous yawn. Shaking his mane-like ruff, his wolf ears pricked forward when the boy's voice came again, this time with more impatience.

"Are you gonna come down or what?"

He nearly answered Talo's call with a growl, but sleep no longer clouded his mind and he caught himself just in time. With an agile leap he jumped down from his raised bedpost, ignoring the ladder, and landed on his feet in front of a glass case set up against the wall.

It was a clear, diamond-like surface, resting on an old oak table Rusl had built for him many years ago. Inside the glass, a gem of some kind levitated, its cool obsidian surface glittering an iridescent liquid black.

Link used his nose to tilt the glass case over enough to uncover the gem, then in his mind uttered the familiar spell:

_...Lupus velut luna..._

His body darkened, the shadow particles gathering in a cloud, his back arched back to a humanoid's erect shape, his eyes, though remaining the same blue, surrendered their slanted shape to become more ovaled. The tawny gray fur disappeared, giving way to a forest green tunic, roughly knitted flax pants, and leather boots worn over what used to be his back paws. His senses all became dulled; his eyesight revealed more color hues, his sense of smell was greatly reduced, and the hearing that once allowed him to hear a tree whisper in the breeze became less acute. The shadow dissapated within seconds, and the wolf that stood there before emerged as a man.

Link rose on two legs, eying the gem again. It's glossy black surface was now lined with glowing trails of orange, and tiny traces of heat wafted forth as the little object quivered with the powerful magic it now contained.

_I fell asleep as a wolf again,_ Link thought sheepishly to himself. _I'm getting more use out of this thing than I ever thought possible, especially since I returned home._

He could easily recall the life-changing events that changed his life close to one year ago. Starting with his first encounter with the Twilight, he befriended the imp Midna and traveled to the ends of Hyrule, in a quest than began with the rescue of his friends, the village children. As time crept on, the journey became a race for survival; the usurper Zant was destroyed and Ganondorf defeated, at least for a time. Midna was freed of the curse that had binded her, and thus was able to return to her world to rule the Twili in peace. Before going through the Twilight Mirror, her last gift to Link was the very shadow gem that enabled his transformation into a wolf.

_"Keep it close,"_ she said. _"Never speak of it to others. This is for your eyes only."_

Then she stepped through the Twilight Mirror, shattering it as she disappeared, destroying the last connection between the two worlds. To this day, Link could not fathom her reasons for doing it. He suspected that she wanted to prevent history from possibly repeating itself, to keep light and shadow separated as they were meant to be. Although Princess Zelda's words remained in his thoughts: _"Light and shadow are two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other." _Link also believed, without a doubt, that as Midna crossed into the other world, shattering the Mirror with a single glistening tear, she had nearly told him she loved him. _A fleeting possibility,_ Link convinced himself. Even though he cared for Midna dearly as a close friend, he could not bring himself to say he loved her in return.

Yet, Link's heart ached with the pain of Midna's absence, as she had literally ridden in his shadow for nearly his entire journey.

The only thing he had left to remember her by was this powerful gem, which gave him the ability to transform into his wolf form whenever he wished. Though Midna had been in charge of its use before, prior to her departure, she taught Link how to use it properly. By touching the gem with his bare skin, he would revert to a wolf. Then, when he wanted to resume his human shape, he simply had to say the spell, _Lupis velut luna_, though being a wolf and unable to speak verbally, he could think the spell and it would have the same effect.

"Link!! Are you even up there?!" Talo's precocious voice had a nervous edge to it now.

Drawn out of his reverie, Link answered, "Coming!" His voice was hoarse from lack of use. He took an old quilt from the shelf on the wall and draped it over the glass case, hiding the glow. Trusting Midna's words, he had not told his secret to anyone in Ordon, not even Rusl, though he knew if he kept on changing back and forth, the sharp old man may catch a whiff of secrecy. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he strode to his door and opened it up, now ready to meet with the village children.

* * *

"It's about time!" The boy called Talo remarked as Link stepped down from the ladder. "What took you?"

"I was down in the basement," Link lied smoothly. "Hiding the slingshot."

"You couldn't let us take a _few_ more shots with it?" pleaded Malo, Talo's younger brother.

Link chuckled with sarcasm. "No. Last time you did, you whacked old Pergie upside the head." He laughed as the boys shuddered at this memory.

"We got scolded something awful," said Malo. "But Talo was the one who did it."

"It was an accident!" Talo growled. "I was aiming for the sign _above_ Mum's head. I bet I could get it right this time!"

Link shook his head, smiling, and began to walk toward the village. "Well, I'm not going to give it back until we can set up some new targets," he said. "_Far_ away from the village."

He heard the boys groan dejectedly behind him. He was conscious of the fact that his role among the villagers had changed somewhat since his return. Not everyone knew the full extent of his travels; in fact, only Rusl and Uli knew exactly what he had gone through. Link had decided to keep some of these incredible events private, with the inclusion of the shadow gem. Even so, he had become more authoritive to the children, especially Malo and Talo, since they got into the most trouble. He knew they did not mean it, but it hurt him slightly when he heard the boys mutter _"Funcrusher," _or _"Tattletale,"_ under their breaths.

"Well, since we don't have the slingshot, at least take us through the woods, like you promised," said Malo.

"Yeah, can we?" asked Talo, sounding excited again. "I wanna see some of those monsters you fight, Link! Show 'em what we're made of!"

"Talo, I don't fight monsters," Link told him. "At least not anymore. I'm not going to look for trouble to get into. My sword is only used defensively. But..." he grinned. "I suppose we can take a walk through the deeper places of the wood."

"Yeah!" Talo cheered triumphantly. "Let's go right now!"

"Yes, lets," agreed Malo.

"Fine," said Link. "But let me go invite Colin to go with us."

Both Talo and Malo groaned again. "No, not Colin!" Talo complained. "He ruins everything. He'll just keep telling us to be careful, and go back, and stuff! He's no fun!"

"I agree," said Malo. "Let's go without him."

"Now, guys," Link told them sternly. "I think Colin would like to come with us. And besides, he could easily be ready to show his courage again in case either of_ you_ get into trouble."

The comment struck Talo and Malo hard. Talo glowed red, thinking about Colin's brave actions back in Kakariko, then murmured, "Okay, he can come."

"Glad you changed you mind," Link said brightly. "I'll go get him now."

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

The Faron Woods were filled with life and energy that day. The late morning sun shone through the tops of the trees, creating patches of light and dark areas along the forest floor. Along the dirt path, Link walked with his sorrel mare Epona by his side, followed closely by Talo, Malo, and the boy Colin, who had just joined with them several minutes ago. Talo had brought his toy wooden sword along for the hike, and he now was swinging it back and forth at some imaginary foe, letting out a victorious cry every now and then. His younger brother was content to simply walk beside Epona, watching Colin with a hint of distaste in his eyes.

"So why didn't Beth want to come?" Colin asked Link.

"Don't know," Link replied. "She didn't seem too enthusiastic."

"She's a big chicken!" said Talo, preforming what may have been intended as a spin attack on an overgrown patch of grass. Instead, he clumsily stumbled on his feet and to the ground, his wooden sword flying to parts unknown.

"Nice one," remarked Malo.

"What about Illia?" asked Colin, ignoring Talo's mishap.

Link hesitated. "She's been a little...wary of the outside world lately. I can't say I blame her."

Talo had gotten to his feet, brushed himself off as if nothing had happened, then said, "Well, we're not afraid! Come on, Link! Show us where some of those, um...what are they called? Bulbins! That's it. Where are those?"

"Gone. They haven't been seen in Hyrule for... a year, in fact." Link paused to adjust Epona's harness, tightening the cinch up just a notch, before moving on. "Look, we're not going to go creature hunting, all right? There are dangerous places in these woods. We'll go as far as Coro's house."

The group was approaching the spring of Faron, the light spirit of the province. At first glance, the pool of crystal clear water appeared as normal as any, surrounded by beds of wild flowers at the water's edge. However, unbeknownst to the children, Link thought he could see a tiny white glow emanating from the peak cascade, followed by a faint whisper, _"_..._Chosen hero..."_

_Not anymore,_ Link reminded himself dubiously. He observed the children and was glad to see that they noticed nothing special about the spring. They entered a large cave, which, Talo noticed with delight, had remains of old dead Deku Babas rotting in the soil.

"Gross," he muttered, poking at the shriveled plant with his toy sword. "Are any of these things still alive?"

"Oh probably," said Link. "We won't be seeing any of those, those are all in the Forest Temple...oh no." He clapped a hand to his forehead, realizing his mistake. Talo and Malo's eyes had grown wide with growing excitement.

"A _Forest_ Temple?" Malo demanded. "Where?"

"Is it close by here?" asked Talo, waving his sword again. "Now_ that_ sounds like a cool place!"

"We're not going in there, are we?" Colin asked timidly.

"No," Link told them flatly. "I shouldn't even have mentioned it. Let's just keep going."

The cave mouth opened up ahead of them, leading in two possible directions. To their right, the path continued through the forest and past an old, clumsily built cabin, the house belonging to Coro, from whom Link always bought his supply of lantern oil. The pot was out on the fire, as usual, boiling some black, awful-smelling liquid inside. Coro himself was sitting out front, as he always did, with a precariously perched bird's nest tangled in his wild mass of hair. He extended a hand up and waved.

"Hey, it's the Ordonian," he said cheerfully. "And the little Ordonians!"

"I'm going to get an extra supply of oil," Link told the boys. "You three stay with Epona, okay?"

"Can I come meet Coro?" Colin asked Link.

"Sure, come with me. Just a word of advice; if he offers, _don't _drink his soup."

* * *

Roughly ten minutes later, Link and Colin walked back to where Epona was tethered. Link took the now full bottle of lantern oil and placed it inside Epona's saddlebag draped over her withers. "That Coro guy scares me," said Colin, smiling comically. 

"You'll get used to him," said Link. "He's just a bit- where's Talo and Malo?" He wheeled around, startling his horse, searching the area. "They've gone!"

"Look," Colin pointed to the other fork in the path. There was a broad wooden sign, coated with moss, that read clearly in carved letters:

**_Forest Temple - This Way_**

The carved arrow on the sign pointed straight ahead, toward a series of dark, dripping caves that lasted for at least a mile. The gate had been left wide open, as it had originally been unlocked, and two sets of small footprints led into the caves.

"Just as I thought," Link muttered. "That's just great. I had better go after them before they get in harm's way."

"Link," Colin said fearfully. "Is it really bad out there in the woods, like you said?"

Grimacing, Link took the scabbard of his sword and strapped it to his shoulder, the hilt pointing above his left shoulder. "Let's just say that I'm not just bringing this as a precaution. Stay here with Epona, Colin. Don't go anywhere; I mean it." Trusting the boy to stand where he was, Link took his weapon and strode hastily into the caves, also taking with him the lantern he would inevitably need in the darker places of Faron Woods.

* * *

"Face it Talo, we're lost." Malo glared at his brother as they emerged from yet another shadowed cavern. "I knew this was a bad idea." 

Talo did not look at him, but kept his wooden sword ready in his hand. "We aren't lost!" he snapped. "And don't be such a baby. It's not like it's nighttime or anything."

Regardless, they pressed on, walking through a somewhat familiar forest clearing, and continuing on by a strange looking stand. It was made up to look like a makeshift shop, with boxes piled on top of one another and vats of many different potions steeming over fires. Stranger still, a tropical bird was perched by this shop, scaring the boys out of their minds by shrieking, _"Awk! Hey! Buy something! Buy something! Awk!"_

"Relax, it's just mimicking a person's voice," said Malo, unperturbed. Talo's wide eyes followed the bird for a brief moment before resuming the walk.

'Hey look, there it is!" he cried.

A gigantic redwood tree towered above the rest of the wood, its massive trunk stretching to what looked like two hundred feet in diameter. The fat boughs sported wide leaves of the greenest you could ever find on a naturally growing plant, and large enough to stand on freely. One branch was veined to the edge of the cliffside, leading into an enormous hollow hole in the trunk. Everything below the tree was an endless gorge, deepening to a bottom that was not even visible to the naked eye.

Both boys were speechless as they surveyed the sudden gorge, and the giant of a tree. "I bet the Forest Temple is in there," said Talo, jogging to the bridge-like branch. "Come on!"

Malo followed behind, having some trouble keeping up with his brother. The two boys made quite a disturbance as they charged toward the tree; flocks of birds burst from the trees and flew away in a frenzy, and the echoes of their cries reverberated throughout the forest. Finally as they reached the tree itself, they entered the mouth of the hollow.

It was too dark inside to see anything, and it was damp; a pool of water had formed in the middle of the floor. Talo and Malo were surprised by how cold it had become. They both shivered, wishing that they had Link's lantern. An odd, squeaking sound was heard further into the cave, along with tiny wings flapping...

"Yikes!" Talo ducked as a pair of bats swooped over their heads, making those rat-like squeaks. The creatures, fortunately for the boys, did not attack but flew outside, not to be seen again.

Malo had run for cover behind his brother, as fast as his little legs would carry him. Talo feebly raised his wood sword, his limbs shaking slightly. "They're gone, I think," he said, swallowing hard. "Those aren't so scary, right?"

"Right..." Malo did not sound so sure of himself. "I don't like this cave, though. Too dark."

"Yeah," Talo agreed. Secretly, he regretted disobeying Link now, because so far the Forest Temple turned out not to be what he expected. But, his pride would not let him turn back. "Look, there's some light at the end over there. Let's go!"

They finally left the cave to discover a larger, better lit place. The air was thick and moist, with pollen particles floating about the place, and tall green grass covered much of the ground before them. Two totem-like columns stood parallel to one another, leading up to a vine covered board at the end. The boys gaped at these surroundings with wonder; they had never seen anything so dramatically rugged in Faron Woods.

Talo had already started into the room, eager to explore. He held his sword gingerly in his hand, occasionally whipping at the grass. "If we're inside the tree, I wonder how all this stuff got in here," he thought out loud. "Pots, poles, and what not... hey, look at this!"

His short attention span switched to a large flower, it's dark, veiny leaves conspicuous against the rest of the flora. He felt the urge to poke at it with his sword, and he lifted the stick to do so.

Two rows of long sharp fangs suddenly erupted from the earth. A violet hued bud enclosed by green petals bared these fangs, uttering a sharp, high pitched shriek. Oozing green venom dripped from its "mouth". This was a _living_ Deku Baba.

Talo screamed and nearly fell over backwards, but he righted himself and bounded out of the Baba's reach, grabbing his brother by the arm to lead him away as well.

"I had thought Link was _joking_ about those things!" Malo seemed almost outraged. "There's a whole row of them over there!" He gestured toward a bunch of the Deku Babas growing in the bushes, aroused by the sudden chaos. They all snapped their jaws hungrily, though their stalks did not allow them to get close enough to the boys. "I like them better when they're dead, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yeah, but..." Talo started to protest. "I was just caught by surprise, that's all! Watch, I can take one of these guys!"

He raised the wooden sword and doubled back on the original Baba who jumped him before, hitting its bud with a sounding _whack_! The plant fell limp for a moment, dazed, then rose again and opened its jaws to attack. Talo aimed his sword at the green stalk and struck; the plant was snapped in two. The Baba collapsed in the long grass and moved no more.

"Take that!" Talo shouted, immensely pleased with himself. "I sure am skilled!"

"Congratulations," Malo's voice was monotone. "Now try taking on the lot of four over there."

"Uh... why don't we just continue?" Talo cut his brother off quickly and walked forward, to the vine-covered board. The two boys proceeded to climb up the vines, careful to avoid the sharp thorns, and reached the next room unscathed.

This hollowed room was even larger than the last; rough, weathered wood formed a set of stairs that led up to a platform. More Deku Babas could be seen lurking in the brush, along with some other unfamiliar creatures that burrowed from beneath the ground. The boys could see things hanging from the ceiling; artifacts like pottery, a small chest, and other items.

"What's that rope that's hanging those pots from?" Malo asked. It was something long, white, and sticky, by the looks of it. "It looks almost like... spider web." He heard his brother gulp from behind. "What?"

Talo lifted a shaking finger and pointed to the top of the stairs, a coutenance on his features that tried to mask terror.

A gigantic spider was waiting for them there, eight hairy legs twitching and stamping the wood with excitement at finding its prey. It scuttled toward them eagerly, beady black eyes blinking, and its fangs curling. On its back was a marking that was unmistakably a white skull, found only on the variation of spiders known as the Skulltula.

Malo started to run, but Talo was frozen in place with shock. He pointed his wooden sword at the monster, but it grew smaller and smaller before his eyes to where it seemed more like a toy than anything, a mere stick against a large, disgusting arachnid. His courage failed him and he took off after Malo, trying not to scream as he did so.

They made for the door, but before they could bat an eyelash the Skulltula launched itself high above their heads and landed on its feet directly in front of them, blocking their path of escape. Talo skidded to a stop, throwing his arm out to block Malo from going any further. They turned around and fled, though now they realized that they had no place else to hide. The formerly spacious room seemed to become smaller as they searched for a hiding place, though nothing they found could keep the giant spider away. The far corners were infested with Babas, all of whom were hissing and lunging out toward whatever came near. Talo and Malo withdrew to the wall, clutching each other in fear.

The Skulltula cornered them and came closer, tensing its eight legs in preparation to strike. It was drooling with bloodlust, quite literally, in fact, as a green ooze similar to the Babas' poured from its mouth.

With no other choice of action, and no place to run, Talo lifted his sword again and swung it crazily at the spider, hoping to scare it away. The monster barely flinched, but instead edged closer, a guttural growl escaping its jaws. Talo's hand was so damp that he could not keep a grip on his weapon. It flew right from his palm and hit the spider right in the eye.

Such a tiny stick could have no real effect on this monster, which was why the boys were surprised when the Skulltula suddenly lurched, crying out in pain. They realized then that a serrated edge of a real sword was sticking from the spider's abdomen. The blade wrenched itself up, then down again, slicing the spider's innards to pieces. The Skulltula contorted violently as dark blood spattered the grass it stood upon, then it met the ground, its life ended. It was then that Malo and Talo beheld their rescuer.

Link retrieved his sword from the dead spider's belly, his blue eyes fiercely scrutinizing the body, then swept the blade a few times through the grass, wiping it clean. He turned and watched the nearby Deku Babas slowly retreat to their roots, cowards of this warrior who had suddenly entered their midst.

"Oh, wow, that was awesome, Link!" Talo shouted, pounding a fist at the air. "Malo and I thought we were goners!"

He waited for Link's response, but none yet came. In fact, he ignored them completely for several minutes, eying the other creatures crawling in the shadows.

Feeling tension rise, Talo said, "...Link, we, uh-"

"Do not try to explain," Link interrupted. "I can pretty much guess what happened here. Did I not specifically tell you not to leave my sight? Did I not make it clear not to go into these woods alone? Was I stuttering when I forbade either of you to come anywhere_ near_ this temple?" His teeth were clenched in suppressed rage.

"But, but..." Both boys were speechless.

Link silenced them with a wave of his hand. "We're leaving. Now. You are not to speak to me, or to each other on our way back to Ordon. Do I make myself clear?"

Not daring to say a word, both Talo and Malo nodded their heads and hurried to the door, with Link trudging from behind. He still grasped his sword.

"You two could have been killed in this place, I hope you know that." It was a rhetorical statement. "Jaggle and Pergie will know about _this,_ that's for sure. We won't be hiking through these woods for a long time, not until I can be assured that you can avoid doing something stupid again."

From the opening cave to the gorge, to the forest clearing and bird's store, to Coro's house, to the spirit's spring and beyond, neither Talo nor Malo plucked up the courage to whisper _"Tattletale,"_ under their breath.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I know that last chapter went a little off topic, but I thought it was important to stress the characteristic changes Link has gone through since he returned, along with the fact that in the eyes of the young kids, he's no longer one of their peers to take advantage of. Anyway, on with the story.**

* * *

Link turned his head when he heard a knock at his door. "Come in," he said, returning to the pot of water that was now steaming over the fire. 

"Hey, Link." Ilia appeared at the doorway and let herself in. "How did today go with the boys?"

With a forced laugh, Link replied, "Don't ask." He left the pot to visit with his best friend while he waited for the water to boil. "Talo and Malo went meandering around when I told them to wait, and...well, you can figure out the rest."

"I see," Ilia was solemn. "I was wondering because I haven't seen either one of them anywhere all day."

"That's probably because their parents have punished them until the end of the age." He bent down and lifted the lid of a trunk he used to store food. While he talked he rummaged through in search of what he was going to make dinner with.

"What are you making, anyway?" asked Ilia.

"Soup," said Link, though he was hard to hear from inside the trunk. "It's an old kind that's my favorite. Don't have all the ingredients though...unfortunately, there aren't any Reekfish in our ponds."

"Reekfish?" Ilia tried not to laugh. "Never heard of those before."

"Yeah, they can only be found swimming in Zora's Domain," he paused as Ilia cocked her head curiously at him. "...From what I've heard. They smell terrible, but they taste like heaven. I have the other ingredients for this; pumpkin, goat cheese, and I'm just looking for some meat to replace the fish...where is it?"

He had torn apart the entire contents of his trunk with growing frustration. "I could have sworn there was some venison in here somewhere."

"Didn't you talk about lost meat the other day?" Ilia queried. "You couldn't find what you had caught the night before."

"That's right," Link said. "Goddesses, who knows where it is? Well, if I can't find it here, then I may have to go hunting again."

"This late? Are you sure?"

"No problem, I'll just go find something small and easy, like a rabbit." Link picked up his bow that hung from the wall, along with his quiver of arrows.

"Well, in that case, I think I'll be headed home," Ilia got up to leave. "I would rather not be here to witness you bringing in a dead, bloody animal."

"Good night, then," said Link.

"Good night."

Just as Ilia closed the door behind her, Link let the quiver he carried in one hand slowly slide to the ground. He furtively hung his bow back on the wall like before, and he approached the cloth covered glass case that had just eluded his friend's awareness. _Hunting as a wolf will certainly be easier,_ he thought. Lifting up the glass, he extended a bare finger and gently touched the gemstone surface.

The transformation took place instantly as before, only his legs were bent and molded to the shape of a wolf's hind legs, his clothes receded and were replaced by gray fur, and his face elongated into a long snout. His perspective of the world changed; the colors disappeared and became countless shades of black, gray, and white. A plethora of scents came to his attention. The husky, fresh smell of pine that erected his house, a brambish smell that came from the firewood buring in the stove, and even the dusty, wool-like smell that came from Epona, who was tethered outside. And, there was another recognizable smell, one that resembled topsoil, warm fur, and the trees of the forest. _A herd of deer draw near..._

The wolf padded across the room to the door, which he found had been closed. He scratched at the wood repeatedly, whining as a dog might when he wished to be let outside, until he was able to push it open and slip outside into the night.

It was eerily dark in the forest this late at night, but the wolf knew his way. He followed the smell of deer, which had made its place on the forest floor, the trunks of trees, and inside thickets. There was a single deer, he believed, that was stained with blood. His acute eyes depicted tiny red drops of it in a trail in the thicket. A buck, because of the musky scent, and it was injured. _Prey..._

The small herd was settled in a clearing, drinking from the spirit's spring. The injured buck limped along on three wobbly legs, bleating with discomfort. He lifted his right hind hoof, the one that was bleeding, and licked it quietly. His companions, two does and a young fawn, had begun nesting in the bushes for the night.

The wolf crept stealthily into the thicket from behind, having escaped notice from the herd. His paws made no sound as they stepped through leaves and twigs, and even his heavy panting ceased for the moment. From what his senses could gather, the does were strong and healthy, though one was worn from the labor of birthing its fawn the day before. Finally he discovered the buck, who loped back to his companions to lie down. The smell of blood was overwhelming to the wolf; he was aroused.

Within seconds, the deer were aware of the wolf's presence. They leapt from their places and cantered away, the mother doe nudging her fawn along with haste. The buck struggled after them, but his leg was giving way and he stumbled.

_Now!_ The wolf lauched himself into the air from his haunches and onto the deer's back, snarling with crazed hunger. His teeth sunk into the neck, crushing its vertebrae beneath his jaws. The buck had collapsed, braying with agony, and was kicking out with his hooves while rolling on the ground. The wolf held fast, refusing to release his deadly embrace. After a moment of intense struggling, the deer was still, and dead.

He had planned on bringing the carcass back to the house, but as the wolf stood up again and looked down at the deer, the smell of fresh meat pungent to his sensitive nose, he decided it was a waste of time. He plunged into the carcass, ripping at the skin and revealing the inner organs. His nose was becoming redder and redder with warm blood as he consumed the flesh inside.

The whole disgusting ordeal lasted for some time, until the wolf had eaten his fill. After he left the carcass he did not go back to the village, but he lumbered deeper into the forest, allowing the darkness to conceal him as he prowled. His footsteps were muted by the fluffy grass he decided to walk through, and none but the insects, the birds, and the occasional squirrel knew he was there.

Suddenly feeling lonely, the wolf sat down, then threw up his head and howled. His hollow, mournful voice resonated beyond the trees, calling to every creature of the wood. As the howl faded away, he pricked his ears and listened for a reply.

None came.

Until, from a very distant place, the wolf heard a soft whine call to him from the south. This sound was high pitched and wailing, and cut through the breeze like a blade. It stopped as soon as it came, and all was quiet again.

The wolf inhaled deeply, trying to smell this new presence. It was too far away, too faint to make out details, but minor rational thought that still transpired in his head told him that the voice's owner was not a canine member. Feeling hungry again, the wolf stood on all fours and trotted away, back to where he felled the deer, and went for seconds.

* * *

_Lupus velut luna..._

Link opened his eyes, groaning as he felt hard wood beneath him. For some reason, he was lying on the floor of his house, spread-eagled on his stomach, and his neck craned painfully to the side. He was vaguely aware that he was human, the biggest clue being the color that filled his vision. _Did I pass out on the floor?_ he wondered. Something long and smooth was in his hand, and he looked to see what it was. He suddenly gasped, mouth open with surprised horror.

It was a bone, yellowed by dirt and stained with flesh, though it seemed to have been licked clean. It was thick, like a femur, and long strips were splintered at the ends. Indented teeth marks were evident in the bone, knawed on ferociously by sharp fangs.

He threw the bone across the room, shaking his hand as if clearing away the filth of gore. _Where did that come from?!_ Link thought incredulously. He rose to his feet, feeling nauseous, then his eyes fell to the floor. Red paw prints were visible in the wood, leading from the front door to the stove, to the table, in a tight circle in a random place, and finally coming to rest in front of the glass case holding the gemstone, where Link stood at this moment.

_Strange, I can't remember coming home._ He tried recalling the events of the night before, but the last memory he obtained was spotting the herd of deer. The rest was fuzzy, blurry, like a dream. In some kind of trance, he supposed, he must have eventually come home to sleep.

He went to a basin lying on the floor some feet away. It was already filled with water, so he sunk his hands inside to clean off the blood. He looked down at his tunic and realized that it too was torn and stained. He decided he would have to change clothes before going anywhere today.

A booming knock sounded at his door. "Hey, Link, y'there?" Fado's voice was muffled.

"Hold on!" Link scrambled to the trapdoor of his basement and flung himself down there, fearing he would shock someone with his dreadful appearance. "What is it?"

"Meet me up at the ranch, Link," said Fado. "And bring Epona too. I need to show y'all something." It was quiet once again.

Link sighed; he had forgotten his job at the ranch since yesterday, which was his day off. Perhaps a long day of working would take his mind off of his worries.

* * *

Epona trotted merrily up the trail toward the ranch, guided by her rider, Link. Together they overtook the hill and entered the spacious corral, where a massive herd of Ordon goats grazed on the sweet pasture grass. A few skittish individuals scampered away as horse and rider approached, causing the earth to vibrate with the force of their quick little hoofbeats. Fado stood in the middle of the congregated animals and waved them over. 

"Link, glad y'all could come," he said as Link came near. "There's been some commotions goin' on lately, an' I think you'd better come see."

"What happened?" Link dismounted and looped Epona's reins in his hands.

"Last night, a few goats went missin', and they turned up this mornin'." He suddenly looked grave. "Dead. They was hunted by somethin', some wolf or lion must've gotten 'em."

Link's heart dropped to his stomach. His fingers shook violently as a cold feeling of dread overtook him. _No...I couldn't have...could I?_ With all his effort, he kept his voice the same. "Are you sure?"

Fado nodded grimly. "Positive. I heard some calls last night, too. I just wish I had had the sense to go look fer the source when I had the chance... it's a cryin' shame. These were some of our finest rams, too. I promise ya, Link, I'm gonna keep a closer watch on these fellas tonight. If any skulkin' predators show their faces, I'll tan their hides an' mount 'em on the barn!" He chuckled, looking slightly more cheerful.

"Yeah..." Link was feeling sick to his stomach. "Fado, you think you could leave me the day off again? I...don't feel very well."

"Well sure, Link," Fado sounded concerned. "Y'all okay?"

Link nodded unconvincingly. "Possibly. Thanks a lot, I'll make it up to you." He took Epona and led her by hand back toward the corral gate. From now until the next day, he vowed to take rest and figure out exactly had happened the night before.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Just to let you all know, some details from last chapter are NOT absolute. Not all is as it seems. There's a bit of a mystery in this short tale, so think long and hard before you conclude anything. Enjoy, and remember to review!**

* * *

Colin poked a stick in the dirt, listening vaguely to the grumbling of Talo and Malo. 

"Man, this is _so_ boring…why did we come here anyway?" Talo gestured to the creek they were sitting by, at the dock behind Jaggle and Pergie's house. He and Malo sat on the edge of the dock with their feet swimming in the water while Colin stood a few feet away.

"_Because,_ Mum told us if we catch some fish, then she'll shorten our punishment," Malo told him. "But I can't find our fishing poles anywhere in the house. Hey Colin, let us use yours."

Colin shook his head. "Sorry, mine's broken. Why don't you ask to borrow Link's?"

"No way." Talo averted his gaze to the ground, his voice low. "I don't think he likes playing with us anymore."

"I'll bet he'd say yes if you asked nicely," said Colin. "Or, I guess I could ask him for you."

Talo shrugged and crossed his arms. "Fine, whatever. Just hurry up, 'cause the sun's going down."

Taking that as a yes, Colin turned away and headed up the village road, toward Link's house. The sky was a pumpkin orange and the clouds were tinged pink as twilight was descending upon Ordon. Mostly everyone had retreated to their homes, likely to eat their supper. Except for Talo and Malo by the creek, Colin was the only one outside.

Link's tree house soon came into view. Epona stood grazing quietly in the little alcove beside the tree, her long white mane rustled by the breeze.

"Hello, girl," Colin said pleasantly, and stroked the mare on her velvety soft muzzle. Epona nickered in greeting, and then returned to her dinner.

"Hey Link! You up there?" called Colin.

He waited for a few seconds, and he was somewhat surprised when he heard no answer. "Link?" he tried again. Still nothing. He climbed up the short ladder that led him to the door, and he knocked several times. "Link?" There still was no reply.

_He must not be home. Maybe, I could just go in and take it. I'm sure he won't mind, _thought Colin, bemused. Though he was of shorter height than Talo, he was able to reach the doorknob and let himself inside the house.

_This place looks different._ The house was in a bit of disarray. A wooden trunk was capsized in the corner, its varied contents spilling out on the floor, a few wall hangings from before had gone missing, including Link's bow. Colin studied the room for a moment, wondering where Link would keep his fishing rod, until his eyes rested on something peculiar.

It was some kind of square box, covered with a tattered old quilt. It lay against the left wall on the table, and it looked very conspicuous compared to the rest of Link's possessions. His curiosity getting the better of him, Colin approached the object and gently lifted up the quilt. What he saw inside astounded him.

It was a gemstone, black and glossy like obsidian, and lined along the edges by an orange, glowing fluid. Stranger still, it levitated on its own inside of a glass box, with no strings attached to it.

"Wow," Colin breathed. "Link's never shown us this before." He immediately felt guilty about looking at something hidden like this, but he was so captivated by this magical gem that he ignored his misgivings. With as much care as possible, he laid his hands on the outside of the glass and lifted it up gingerly, then placed it on the ground. A small wave of heat radiated from the freely floating object.

_I could get in big trouble._ Somehow Colin ignored his conscience and reached out with his index finger to touch the gemstone.

Out of nowhere, something grasped his wrist and wrenched it away, followed by an angry shout, "Colin!" The frightened boy turned to face Link, who pulled him farther across the room, his face twisted with fury. His voice was hoarse and growling. "_Don't touch it! _Why are you in here?! Do you realize what would have happened if you touched that gem? _Do you?!_"

"No! I'm sorry!" Colin was scared by Link's severe reaction.

He winced as Link's grip on his wrist tightened. "Don't you know anything?! You must _never_ handle a magical object you're not familiar with! _Never!_"

Link let go of his wrist and pushed him away; he then turned sharply and threw the tattered old quilt over the levitating gemstone, hiding it from view. "Never touch it, never look at it, I don't even what you _thinking_ about it, understand?" His eyes were wide, alive, and gleaming with angry turmoil. He was an entirely different person.

"Yes!" Colin was hysterical. He stumbled as he made a beeline for the door, but he hesitated as Link abruptly spoke again, in a calmer voice.

"Colin, wait."

Trembling, the boy met eye contact with Link, whose face had softened.

Link was full of sorrow. "I apologize…I reacted badly," he said. "I don't know what came over me."

Colin did not speak. He looked down at the floor and nodded meekly. After an awkward few seconds, he said, "What is that thing, anyway?"

He waited patiently for him to respond. Link's gaze rested on the quilt smothering the gemstone underneath. He closed his eyes, heaving a deep sigh. Suddenly, he looked and sounded far older than he was.

"Was it something from your journey?" Colin daringly asked. "What _would've_ happened if I had touched it?"

"Colin, I don't think it would be best to answer your questions. Some things… some things are better left unsaid. Do you know what I'm saying?"

"…Yes," Colin lied.

Link nodded resolutely. "Very well, then." His eyes drifted over the vibrating gemstone beneath the quilt. "If you don't mind, Colin, I think I could use some solitude."

"Sure." The boy did not need to be told twice. He pulled open the door and left Link inside to stew in his own troubles.

Colin took the walk back to the creek slowly, pondering everything that had just occurred. _Why does Link want to keep secrets from us? He's never been this way, ever. I wonder if he's even talked to my dad. And the look in his eyes when he grabbed me…I've never seen him that angry before. Not even yesterday in the woods._ When he approached Talo and Malo by the dock, he was instantly drawn from his thoughts.

Malo glanced in his direction and said, "Where's the fishing pole?"

Groaning, Colin said. "Oh. I forgot to get it."

"Then what were you doing, watching the flowers grow? Hurry up, it's practically dark!"

"Okay, okay," said Colin, grumpy. He turned away and retreated along the same path he walked before. Though now, for the first time in his life, he was nervous about seeing Link again. _I won't sneak in there this time. If he doesn't answer, then I'm out of there._

The sun had just dipped behind the hills, and the sky was a dark indigo as night fell. It was a little scary being outside in the dark at times, but the chirping of birds and the sounds of the waterwheel were comforting and familiar. When Colin climbed the ladder to the tree house yet one more time, he pushed the door open calmly. "Sorry to bother you again, Link, but I wanted to ask-"

He stopped. Link was not there, or anywhere else in the house. Instead, he saw a silhouette of a huge, furred creature shadowed along the wall. He found the caster of the shadow with its head inside the turned over trunk and growling incessantly.

It was a wolf, the biggest and most powerful of canines Colin had ever seen, and it stood almost as tall as he did on four stilt-like legs. Its fur was dark gray, nearly black, though its belly and part of its face were covered in lighter gray. It had enormous paws, bearing long but worn claws that scratched noisily against the wood floor while it moved. The front of its face, though hard to see from where his nose was pushed inside the trunk, bore a strange tribal marking of some kind, framing his eyes almost like a mask.

Colin froze, terrified. _Did Link just leave his house with the door open?_ he thought wildly. He made no movement, thus the wolf for now took no notice of his presence. It nosed through the trunk, making hungry noises in his throat, possibly rooting for whatever food it could find. All of a sudden, its ears craned upward and the wolf looked up.

The beast scrutinized him for a moment, bright eyes reflecting some kind of inhuman intelligence. As Colin looked the wolf in the eye, a strange feeling overwhelmed him, as if it were reading his mind somehow…

He jumped back, startled, as the wolf bared its teeth and snarled. Long, ivory white fangs glistened from its jaws, and a deep, fuming growl resonated in his chest. The wolf abandoned the trunk and sidestepped anxiously, the fur bristling on the back of its neck. As hard as Colin tried not to make any sudden moves, he faltered over the left table's leg and careened to the floor in a heap.

The wolf gave was sounded like a gurgling roar and lunged toward him, mouth open and defensive. The boy scrambled to his feet and leapt out the door, and as an afterthought braced it shut behind him. He yelped as the door lurched with the force of the beast hitting it, barking and growling violently. "_Grrrr, Ruff! Grrrr…ruff ruff!"_

"Help!" Colin cried, his fear taking over, and completely forgetting the ladder dove to the ground. He landed painfully on his knees, but he jumped back up and ran as fast as he could toward Ordon.

His instinct carried him back to his house, to his father Rusl and his mother Uli, both of whom were inside the home.

Colin burst through the front door and found the safety of his mother's arms. He kept crying out, "Monster! There's a monster out there!"

His mother's kind, gentle face looked over him, fraught with worry. "Are you alright?"

Colin nodded his head rapidly. "Yeah, but I saw a… a … _huge_ wolf! It tried to eat me!"

His father Rusl had already taken up his scabbard and strapped it to his chest. "Where is it, son?"

"Inside Link's house!"

"_Inside?_ How did it get in there? Where's Link?"

Colin shook his head, holding his mother tighter. "I don't know, he was there before, I guess he must have gone somewhere. Dad, _hurry!_ It might be loose by now!"

Without any more questions, Rusl hurriedly strode out of the house, drawing his sword and taking his lit lantern along in order to see where he was going.

Within a few agonizing minutes, Rusl had rallied with him the mayor of Ordon, Bo, Fado, and Jaggle, the father of Malo and Talo. The four men all had with them weapons and the occasional shield for protection, and with a single lantern to guide them their trudged up to the tree house. The door had not opened, which meant the beast still lurked inside.

"Where did you say Link was again?" Mayor Bo consulted Rusl. "I figured he of all people would be interested in driving away this thing."

"I don't know where he went," said Rusl, shaking his head wearily. "We can't wait any longer for him though."

Heavy browed Jaggle raised his voice. "Let's gut this foul creature; I'll betcha he was the one who went after my kids!"

"Don't get excited, Jaggle," warned Rusl. "We can avoid bloodshed if we can just scare this thing off."

The normally kind Fado was irate and intolerant. "I'm as sure as anythin' that it's the wolf that's been killing the goats," he said. "We can't be havin' a predator lurkin' in these here parts. It's too dangerous."

Rusl shushed the other men as they stood in front of Link's tree house. Sounds could be heard inside that consisted of yelps, whines, and snarls, along with the faint pounding of paws against the floor. "I'm going in there," he hissed. "I'll lure him outside and you guys come next." Jaggle tightened his grip on his blunted axe as affirmative.

After the quick trip up the ladder, Rusl opened the door, which he noticed was now hanging off of its hinge. He held his sword up as he saw the beast leering at him.

* * *

The wolf crouched, his instincts telling him to fear this two-legged predator. He snarled again, giving a threat to this intruder on his territory. The human standing before him advanced, shouting some words in a language he did not understand, and waving a large heavy blade at him. The wolf retreated a step, his tail brushing against the wall. He was cornered. An animal often died when cornered. 

Angry and fearful, the wolf attacked the two-legged intruder; he launched himself toward the human's foot and bit down, tearing at the boot leather. A cry came form the human and he retaliated; he twisted around and gave the wolf a swift kick to his body.

Disorientated and in pain, the wolf stumbled, ramming hard against the legs of the table. His teeth bore even more and his ears flattened against his head, showing the human the meanest and most menacing expression he could muster. He was distressed to find that the human showed no fear; he charged at him with his sword held high over his head.

The wolf bounded out of the way just in time, then seeing the open door, fled to the only place left to run.

He was surprised and confused as he fell a good way down from the tree, landing awkwardly on his side with a loud _"oomph."_ The wolf shook his head, dazed, then bounded to its feet in a panic.

At least three other humans were circling him, their fists and weapons raised in an uproar, shouting and cursing at him again in that foreign tongue. The wolf bristled, trying to look bigger than them, but he was failing and becoming intimidated by the humans.

One leapt toward him and swung his weapon. The wolf had nearly dodged it when it ripped a gash in his right hind leg, spilling his blood. He staggered, mouth open and panting, releasing a yelp of pain.

He panicked and flew from the mob, tail between his legs, hind leg lifted just off the ground as he loped away into the forest. He whined as his injury throbbed with every stride, but pure adrenalin kept him going as he surged through the trees without pause for breath. The brash voices of the humans seemed to follow him for a moment; an arrow or two whizzed over his head but missed, and the glow of the lantern they carried lit up his tracks. He never looked back, never slowed, and never hesitated; he continued his manic flight until the wolf was finally alone.

* * *

**I also wanted to give a shoutout to Bytemite, who recently gave me some valuable knowledge about wolves that helped me out quite a bit. Thank ya!**


	5. Chapter 5

When the early light of dawn had touched the skies, Ordon had finally quieted down. Fado had gone to the ranch early and seated himself outside among the goatherds, still paranoid about the bloodthirsty marauder wandering into the corral while he was absent. Before the sun had risen, and while the sky was a periwinkle blue, he patrolled the reaches of the corral, calling for his partner, Link, to help him.

No response came.

Presently, Mayor Bo was standing outside the porch of his house, looking bleakly between the houses surrounding him in case the beast came back. He was slumped, tired, and nearly falling asleep while standing up. When he had finally decided to call it a "night," by the request of his daughter Ilia, he visited each house asking if Link would take the next watch.

No response came.

Rusl had taken the forest trail dozens of times that morning, sword still in hand and on the defense, but so far his efforts had been futile. The glow of his lantern had begun to fade, due to the fact that the last of his oil had been burned. Every place he visited had proved to be disappointingly empty, for during the many trips he took to the Spirit's spring, the Forest Temple, and to Coro's house, he found no signs of Link, or the wolf. Rusl wanted to keep looking, but fatigue and a lowered morale assailed him, eventually bringing him back to Ordon for rest.

The village children were all safe inside of Mayor Bo's house. Ilia watched the lot of them closely while the adults were still out looking, though thankfully she had no work cut out for her. Even Talo and Malo were propped up dejectedly in the corner, not talking and not complaining. Beth had fallen asleep some ways away; the girl made no disturbance at all. Meanwhile, Ilia and Colin spoke quietly.

"D'you think that wolf was a man eater, Ilia?" asked Colin, his voice small and whispering.

"I don't know," said Ilia, an anxious frown crossing her face. "We've seen worse things though, Colin. I'm sure that my father and your father can take care of it. I'm just worried about Link." She gazed out of the house window, looking helpless. "He hasn't come back since last night, and he's all by himself out in the woods. I can't help but fear that he ran into trouble with that beast…" Her voice diminished.

"Don't worry," Colin assured Ilia. "He's saved both of our lives before. In fact, maybe he went to kill the wolf!"

Ilia shrugged, looking forlorn. "Maybe…it just baffles me how that monster made it into Link's house. I never would have thought of him being that careless."

"Well, I dunno…yesterday I went to see him and he kind of exploded at me," said Colin, shivering slightly as if he remembered an awful memory.

Ilia looked at him suddenly, surprised. "Why?" she demanded.

"He- I looked at something of his and he got really mad…crazy even, and told me never to touch it. He was in some state of shock afterward. I don't know…do you think he's not telling us something, Ilia?"

Now Ilia was deep in thought, her forehead resting on the palm of her hand. "I don't know, Colin, but I have the feeling we may find out sooner or later."

* * *

The first thing Link noticed was sand. It was in his hair, in his mouth, and in his torn and bedraggled clothes. Making a face, he wrinkled his nose and spit into the dirt. Next he felt the pain; a throbbing wound on the back of his calf was unrelenting, and the crackling he heard when he moved told him that it was crusted with dried blood. He lifted his head weakly, finding himself spread over his belly on a sandy place. He twisted his neck around as far as his sore muscles would allow.

He sighed with relief to see that he was in the Ordon Spring, and not in some unfamiliar place. His respite soon faded when he saw that it was morning; the light creeping over the tops of the trees roused his growing alarm.

_Oh no…what happened last night? I can't remember a thing; the last I recall was talking to Colin…_He realized that he must have been in wolf form last night.

But…he did not recall uttering the transforming spell. Not at all. He would, since he would have said it while he was still human, but there was no recollection of the event, nor did he remember doing it for any particular reason.

_Did the shadow magic work on its own? _he wondered. The idea was not only ridiculous, but also terrifying. Link scrambled to his feet, howling as the gash on his leg flared up in pain. _And how did that get there?_

Despite his malady, he limped through the woods to his house, which was tucked in a clearing not too far from the spring. He groaned as he met with the ladder; it would hurt him greatly to climb it. He was considering his options when a voice shouted, "Link?"

Link whipped around, startled, only to see Rusl emerging from the village. The man was slouched; exhausted, and dark circles adorned his eyes.

"Link! Thank the goddesses it's you! We have all been looking for you!" Rusl was excited. "Did you catch anything of the commotion last night?"

Being in somewhat of a stupor, Link could only give the older man a blank stare. He quickly lied. "No, I didn't. Is everyone okay?"

"Fortunately, yes," said Rusl. "This wolf came barging into your house last night, heaven knows why, but we were able to scare it away, I think." He paused as his eyes drifted to the gash on Link's leg. "Goodness, Link, are you all right? You don't look well at all."

Unable to meet his eyes, Link gazed at the soil. "I don't think I am well," he murmured.

Rusl studied him, concerned, and asked, "Is it anything worth telling me about?"

Link considered the question, his face remaining blank of any emotion. Finally, he shook his head.

"Well okay then, Link," said Rusl, sounding slightly disappointed. "I won't pry. I hate to drag you out since you look so beat up, but Fado desperately needs you on the ranch, so after some breakfast, why don't you go on up there and help him out?"

"Fine."

* * *

Around midday, the sun had made its climb to the highest peak of the sky. The sun was shining cheerfully over the ranch, improving the atmosphere but making the temperature warmer and less comfortable for the two ranchers. Fado and Link were both busy building up a fence around the farthest boundary of the pasture, while the herd of goats scattered farther away. Due to the recent killings of their herd members, the animals flocked in groups and clustered more closely together than usual, the head ram bellowing a fierce note every now and then as a warning to enemies.

Fado's shovel rhythmically pounded the dirt as he dug holes in a straight line cutting across the pasture, filling them all with wooden poles as he went. Since Link was injured in his leg, he volunteered to nail the wire on each pole, enclosing the entire area. The work was physically hard, and tedious to no end, but Link appreciated the distraction.

He barely said a word throughout the entire day, but Fado's monologues were never-ending. "This fence will keep them varmints out of our herds," he said confidently as he shoved yet another pole into a finished hollow. "I took the liberty of reinforcin' that wire there with barbs, just in case."

Link fingered a sharp barb with his thumb and swallowed nervously.

"An' even if they get in, I'm gonna stand out here all night an' show those scoundrels what fer! They won't be getting our goats, no sir." Fado chuckled at the unintended pun and started refilling his hole with dirt, securing in the post.

Though still remaining silent, Link listened to Fado's words, feeling absolutely dreadful. He barely paid attention as he lifted his hammer and inadvertently struck his finger. He yelped at this new pain and kicked the ground, cursing.

Fado turned his head, perturbed by Link's outburst. "Careful there," he said. "Those things hurt, and y'all look pretty pounded already."

"Thanks for the update," Link muttered rudely, and returned to his hammering with less gusto than before. He looked across the pasture to see eight more holes, ten feet apart from one another, leading up to the edge of the barn. He sighed. _This is going to be a long day…_

It certainly was. Link continued his work at the ranch until the afternoon, ignoring the incessant flares of pain in his leg, until he at last retired to his house. On his way there, he was hounded by at least every member of Ordon Village, being bombarded with questions about his condition and about the chaos of the night before. It took all of his efforts to remain pleasantly ignorant in their eyes, but his composure and his temper were on the verge of breaking. He gave short, curt replies to every question asked. "Yes, I'm fine." "No, I didn't see anything."

When he was alone in his house, he became infuriated to see that his door was swinging open. It was hanging by only one hinge now, and leaned dangerously over the ledge of the tree trunk. He lost his temper and slammed the door shut behind him, shouting something loud and incoherent to the air. The door merely creaked and lurched in reply.

Link began pacing back and forth across the room like a caged animal. _I have to think about what's happening here…why did I use the gemstone last night, and why can I not remember anything about it? Why did I wake up this morning bruised and cut on my leg? Why is the smallest thing upsetting me today? …And what the hell happened to my door?_ He turned and glared at it as if the inanimate object had said something unkind. He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself, and ended up sitting cross-legged on the floor, resting his chin on his hands.

_And the goats…I can't remember it happening, but my wolf form must be killing them off. Why has my wolf form become more primitive lately? I don't understand. I can't tell Fado about this, that's for sure. Nobody can know about this. They would shun me, and with good reason…_Suddenly he became utterly miserable about his predicament. _How did I get myself in such a mess?_

His gaze focused on the old quilt lying over his table, on the small lump beneath it. Link rose from the floor and walked to it, peeling the cloth away. The gemstone, though still beautiful and alluring, seemed almost seductive now, in a dark and intriguing way. That was when Link spotted an oddity.

The gemstone was still pure black, its orange lines absent. It did not levitate, but it lay still on its side, looking almost dull of energy. Much like it always did when Link was in his wolf form…

On impulse, Link looked down the front of his tunic, holding his gloved hand out in front of his torso, flexing his fingers as approval. _I'm still human,_ he confirmed. _So why is the gem deprived of its magic?_ He stared blankly at the object for a long time, his thoughts piercing together gradually minute by minute. He eventually came to a conclusion.

The gem's magic is still within my body, though I still appear human. I no longer switch between the two forms, but live as a halfa…a man and a wolf. Yet logically, I still must be able to change by uttering the spell aloud or in my head…so why did I change last night against my will? Perhaps…perhaps it came to me randomly, with no rhyme or reason, and I transformed. That means…I no longer have control over it.

Link released a shuddering breath, realizing his danger. _It could happen anytime…even now, if I'm not careful. _He distantly recalled Midna's warnings to him from the past, about how certain shadow magics were deadly in the hands of light dwellers, and how many terrible things happened under the influence of these powers. His predicament was no different. He had become a treacherous threat to everyone in Ordon, everyone he loved.

_I cannot allow this to happen again,_ he told himself. _I will not. Even if I must exterminate myself, I won't allow my carelessness to hurt my friends. I will fix this problem, if it's the very last thing I do._

* * *

**I am pleased at how well this story is going. Unfortunately, it was never meant to be a long story, so the final chapter is likely to be two more away. But stick around, because it ain't over 'til it's over!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry for the slight delay. I hope you all like this one. Please continue to review!**

* * *

Thunder was booming in the distance; a storm was well on its way to Ordon from the north. The sky clouded over completely by the late afternoon, and shortly after nightfall, the rain started coming down. The only light source in the tree house was a dying lantern. Link began to feel dread as night came again, as his most perilous hours were now at nighttime.

He made preparations beforehand. He spent an hour or two trying to fix his door so that it would stay secure for any reason. As he was not much of a handyman, the hinge was unable to be fixed, but the door itself hung straighter. Next he took everything in his house that was valuable; namely, his sword, Hylian shield, and other weaponry and locked it safely down in the basement, setting a padlock on the trapdoor on his way out. As an extra precaution, he took a coil of rope and tied the doorknob to his table to make it more difficult to push open.

He stood back, bitterly pleased with his handiwork. _Still, this might not hold,_ he noted, eying the rope, which looked to be pitifully useless against sharp teeth and claws.

A bolt of lightning flashed from outside, illuminating the forest. He was distracted for the shortest of seconds, startled by the light.

_Power,_ he thought, noting the lightning. _Pure, untamed power. Its wrath could be unleashed at any time, without word or warning. It's no wonder many are afraid of lightning._

_Some things should not have such power. Words, and feelings, for example. If they controlled the world, they would be deadly. If somebody around here, or anywhere, uttered that spell…_

He doubled over, groaning. The shadow particles had covered him and he could feel the transformation happening against his will. "No…not again," he cried. He had never tried it before, but in his determination he tried _resisting_ the magic with all his might.

Horrible pains racked his body as the shadow magic retaliated. Link scrambled to finish tying the knot that would keep the door immobile, but he could barely close his fingers.

A small sheet of paper flew softly from the desk and landed on the floor. Instantly getting an idea, Link grasped at the paper and, with his still-forming claws, scratched out a few words on its face. Finally he could no longer withstand the pain, and his wolf body and mind dominated him fully.

* * *

Ilia pushed open the front door, squinting as the rain met her eyes. She took a few hesitant steps out onto the porch of her house, searching the dark outside for Rusl. She had promised Colin to go out and look for him, but now she felt a strong desire to flee the storm and into the warmth and safety of the living room. Instead, she walked onto the dirt path and called, "Rusl!" 

The pitter-pattering of the rain was nearly enough to drown out her voice. She shuddered from the cold, and she hugged her arms around herself. She was getting soaked from the rain. _This is useless,_ she decided regretfully, and proceeded toward what appeared to be Rusl and Uli's house down the path.

She stopped in her tracks. A shiver went up her spine as a high-pitched bark sounded from behind. Ilia wheeled around, her heart hammering, and yelled, "It's the wolf! It came back!"

It was hard to focus clearly in the rain, but she detected a dark shape moving toward her. The creature was definitely canine, as it made the appropriate yips and growls, however Ilia was surprised to see that it was not the wolf. She was further disgusted to see what it truly was as its image became clearer.

It was a skeleton, standing and walking on its own. Its body structure was purely canine; the skull and the leg bone were all arranged in the same way. It created the same noises, though they were hollow, supernatural, like from another world. Meager flesh still clung to its bones, and a beating heart was enclosed inside of its visible ribcage. In her frightened state, Ilia could not identify this monster, but it was a creature known as a Stalhound.

Ilia suppressed a scream. In the creature's mouth was an animal leg, the tip of the bone reaching out from where it had been mutilated from the body, and blood dribbled down the knee. It was still covered in bluish gray hair and had a cloven hoof at the end of its limb. _It was one of our goats…_

She took several backward steps, praying that the Stalhound would rather eat his already caught meal than chase her down. She shut her eyes, nauseated as the skeletal creature clamped its jaws on its dinner. An awful _crack_ was heard as the bone snapped.

She could stand it no longer. Against her better judgment, Ilia turned and tried to run, forcing down the urge to burst into tears. She stopped, a sob escaping her, as she came face to face with another Stalhound. The creature emitted another high screeching sound, its teeth clicking together, and then crept toward her hungrily.

In the corner of her eye, Ilia could see _another_ Stalhound closing her into the circle, making the same menacing sounds as its kin, as if conversing on the best way to bring their prey down. Unable to run, she started to cry, the rain drops on her face flowing with her tears. "Help me!" she cried desperately. Her voice was breaking. "Somebody please help me!"

The three Stalhounds were unperturbed by the girl's cries. They came closer, yipping and jeering, one of them still holding the goat leg in its jaws. Suddenly they faltered as an angry yell surged through the night storm. "Back, you devils!"

Rusl appeared, a torch blazing in his left hand and his sword in the right, standing protectively beside Ilia. He uttered in a whisper, "Whatever you do, don't lose your head. Don't run; they'll catch you." Ilia swallowed and stayed still, though she shook uncontrollably.

A low growl came, not from any of the Stalhounds, but from another shape moving through the rain, fur raised and teeth displayed prominently. Rusl turned, angry and scared to see that it was the wolf, looking ready to make another kill. Regardless, he shielded the girl from danger and prepared to fight.

* * *

The wolf dimly recognized the Stalhounds; he had caught a whiff of them at some point, and he recalled hearing their calls the other night as answer to his own. Yet, apart from their skeletal bodies, something inside of him did not accept these beasts as one of his own species, but twisted monsters cast out of the wolf's hierarchy. He boldly stepped between the creatures and the two humans they surrounded, snarling menacingly at them. 

_Leave,_ he tried to tell the beasts. _This is _my _territory. You are trespassing._

One Stalhound advanced on him, tossing its skull up and down as a challenge. Its pawed the muddied ground like horse.

The wolf lunged, grabbing at the creature's neck and attempting to knock it down. He succeeded, but the Stalhound did not stay down for long. It retaliated and butted him with its large and powerful head, sending the wolf to the ground. The Stalhound then continued toward the humans, snapping its jaws.

Without warning, the wolf leapt up again and launched himself full force against the Stalhound, pushing it off of its feet and into the stream. The monster splashed into the shallow water and lay still for a moment, the breath knocked out of it.

The other two were still intent on harvesting the humans for supper; one broke into a lope and, mouth open wide, sprung at its desired prey. The wolf wheeled around and attacked him just in time; he tore fiercely at the Stalhound's remaining flesh and even accomplished a breaking off part of the creature's left leg bone. As it collapsed, howling with pain, its remaining stump of a front leg waved awkwardly in front of it.

The wolf towered over it, eyes sharp and angry. _You try to eat one of the pups. One never harms a pup. Leave, now._

He was unexpectedly attacked from behind; the Stalhound in the stream had made a quick recovery and had grabbed the wolf by his pelvis. The creature's head was nearly half of the wolf's full size. It shook him side to side like a rag doll and threw him cruelly against the ground.

A groan came from the wolf as he was heaped in the mud. His fur was matted and soaking from the ever-falling rain. Before he could try to get up again, the same Stalhound tore at his flesh; the wolf's scream of pain was audible over the storm. Furiously, he fended off the monster and yanked himself up, dripping with blood. He was immediately surrounded by the third Stalhound, which at this moment in time was still holding the goat leg in its mouth. Spotting this as a potential weakness, the wolf dove beneath the creature's skull and swiftly attacked its ribcage. His sharp teeth closed around the Stalhound's still-beating heart and punctured it.

The Stalhound gave a great lurch, screeching with despair, then fell to the ground and did not move again.

The wolf staggered from the body and faced the other two Stalhounds, trying to disregard his own painful injuries. The Stalhound with the partially missing leg panicked and fled, stumbling over its disability several times in the process. The other followed suit, yowling pitifully as it went.

As his adversaries ran away, and as one lay dead, the wolf began to feel his mortal wounds weakening his reserve. The flesh on his side was torn open and was freshly bleeding. His tailbone was likely bruised from the jaws of the Stalhound who grabbed him. His entire body was bruised and beaten, and every second that passed was brutal and excruciating. The wolf looked bleakly to the humans, both of whom stayed stoic and watchful, still close to one another. Eventually, he could no longer stand on his own and he crumpled once again.

* * *

Rusl and Ilia had watched the whole scene with rising fear and incredulity. Everything had happened quickly; the battle had lasted no longer than two minutes. Rusl's sword lowered at last, and he slowly left Ilia's side and approached the fallen wolf with dragging footsteps. 

Concerned calls rang from all corners of the village; Uli came running from the house shouting for her husband, while Mayor Bo emerged to see what had just occurred right in front of his house. Fado hurried down the trail to join the throng.

All voices were jumbled and mixed together to create an incoherent roar. Bo rushed to embrace his daughter, fraught with worry. After several redundant, frightened questions, Ilia was able to convince him that she was free from harm. Uli repeatedly begged her husband for an explanation, and Rusl gave it as soon as everybody consented to listen.

"We must not stand out here in the rain; those Stalhounds are still out there," said Rusl, raising his now extinguished torch to the rain.

"You mean you've actually seen those _before?_" Uli's voice was full of disbelief.

Rusl nodded grimly. "Yes. They roam Hyrule Field at night, but I never expected them to wander _here,_ of all places." He kneeled beside the dead Stalhound and gestured to the limb still clutched in its mouth. "Fado, I think I know what has been hunting the Ordon goats."

"Well, I'll be darned," said Fado. "I would never have guessed such a critter existed."

The wolf lying in the mud gave a low whine, expressing its pain. Everyone looked at it with mixed feelings, at a loss of what to do with the animal.

"That wolf saved us," Ilia startled everyone by speaking. "I don't know where he came from, or why he came, but he did."

"Yes, he did," said Rusl. The man knelt beside the wolf's body, closely examining the extent of its injuries. The semi-conscious animal yelped weakly as he laid a hand on its side.

"I don't believe it," exhaled Bo. "Why would some wolf put his own life in danger for us? It makes no sense."

"He's hurt badly," mused Rusl, his gaze resting on the wolf's eyes. They were opened slightly, observing them all helplessly. His ear lifted a fraction, straining to listen, and then fell limp. To the surprise of all, Rusl then carefully began to lift the wolf's body from the ground.

"Wait, Rusl, what are you doing?" demanded Bo. Rusl grunted from the wolf's weight, having some trouble lifting him. He straightened, supporting the canine's front and back ends in his arms.

"I don't intend of leaving this wolf to die," he said resolutely. "Savage beast or not, he still saved your daughter's life, Mayor. I will tend to him back at my house." Now that he had a handle on his burden, Rusl carried the wolf toward his house, followed meekly by Uli. Fado, Bo, and Ilia watched in astonishment.

* * *

Some time passed throughout the night, and the rain had not yet ceased. The thunder had, for now, diminished. Outside of Rusl and Uli's house, Ilia paced beneath the awning of the porch, joined by her father. She was still in shock from the commotion earlier, and her gratitude for her rescuer had driven her to stand outside to wait for news of his condition. Since Bo refused to let any other danger befall his daughter that night, he insisted that he accompanied her. 

The minutes ticked by, painstakingly slow. Ilia and her father nearly decided to go home when Rusl suddenly appeared in the doorway.

"Sorry to bother you Rusl, but, is the wolf alive?" Ilia asked timidly. "I have to know."

Rusl's face was blank, yet his eyes held an unreadable emotion. He looked exhausted, yet exhilarated, frightened and astounded all at the same time. He did not answer them at first, but merely gazed hollowly into space.

Ilia cupped a hand to her mouth. "Did he, die?"

Slowly, almost at a snail's pace, Rusl shook his head. "No…he lives." He cleared his throat and tried to erase the look off of his face. "We have been with him for some time now…"

"_And?_" asked Bo.

Rusl's voice reduced to an undertone. "Th-there's something you should know…"

* * *

**If my guess is correct, next chapter will be the last one. So until then, I bid thee farewell.**


	7. Chapter 7

Link opened his eyes, but he quickly shut them again to shield them from a blinding light. He was aware of a board-stiff feeling around his torso, and his side hurt terribly whenever he tried to move. A line of sweat dampened his hair, though his face was quite cool. When he eventually decided to fully view his surroundings, he found that the "bright light" was merely a candle glowing in the corner of the room.

He was in Rusl and Uli's house, from what he could discern. He was laid in bed, flat on his back, with the blankets pulled to his head. He was not alone, either; Rusl was sitting in the corner, his head resting on his hands, looking extremely tired. He looked up hastily, trying to keep himself awake, when he saw Link looking at him. He stood up, swaying slightly, and approached Link's bedside. He placed his hand gently on Link's forehead, and he sighed deeply.

"Your fever's broke," Rusl said softly. "Thank the goddesses. How are you feeling, Link?"

Link made an effort to sit up. He winced at the pain inflicted on his side as he did, and now he was curious why he felt stiff as a board. He looked down to see that his bare chest was tightly bound with medical wraps, and he could not bend very easily. "Not so well. What happened?" he asked hoarsely.

"You were practically torn to pieces," said Rusl. "Uli had to use her sewing needle to stitch you back up. You had a raging fever throughout the night, but that has gone. I'm no doctor, but I think you'll be just fine within a matter of days."

"I wish I could remember last night…" Link's head suddenly snapped up. "Oh no, I do remember! Is everyone all right? Ilia, the kids, and everybody?"

"Fine," Rusl assured him. "Everybody is just fine. Ilia and the kids are all at Bo's house, and Uli just went over to check on them. Somehow, I think the village will be safe for now."

Link exhaled, relieved. He felt sore and achy, and he wanted to lie down again. He paused when Rusl spoke again.

"Another thing, Link," he said. "We found out last night. We found out what has been killing off the goats."

Link froze, his eyes widening. He could not look at the other man but he chose a knot in the wood on the wall and stared at it without relent. _He knows my secret…_

"What…exactly tipped you off?" he asked fearfully.

Rusl then dropped something small onto Link's lap. It was a piece of paper, torn slightly at the ends. Link picked it up and recognized it as the one he scratched a message on the night before. In his scrambled, hurried claw markings, he had scratched out the words:

LUPUS VELUT LUNA 

He eyed the writing, and then looked up at Rusl, demanding an explanation.

Rusl clarified. "This was on the floor of your house. I walked over there at some point last night to ask for your help, but obviously, you weren't there. I was intrigued by the words, so I took it back to the house with me, intending to ask you about it later. As soon as I read those words to myself, however…"

He did not have to say anything more. Link's gaze dropped to the floor, since he had no response. All he did was try to think of a way to explain the situation. "Rusl, I…" he began. "I swear, I never meant to hurt anybody. I never wanted it to be this way. Somebody in this village could have been killed because of me."

"Maybe so," Rusl told him. "But the point is that everyone is alive and well."

"Yes, but…I was responsible for destroying some of the goat herds." Link did not hide the remorse in his voice.

Rusl looked at him curiously. "As a matter of fact, you're wrong. When I told you we found the killers, I was referring to the Stalhounds you fended off last night. We searched the pasture, and came to find all evidence pointing to them. The trails, the nearby dens, everything."

"…So, you mean I never did it? Those monsters were the killers the whole time?"

Rusl nodded. "Precisely. Also, I think they have been looting your private store of meat in your house. That is why you thought the food misplaced. You had nothing to do with it."

Link was speechless. He grasped the tiny piece of paper in his sweaty hand until it was nothing more than a crumpled ball. "I am still not redeemed of my actions," he murmured.

"I have but one question to ask you," said Rusl. His jaw was set. "Why did you not speak of this before?"

"I-" There was no easy answer to be had. "I know now that I should have. Especially since what happened could have been tragic."

"And yet you kept the secret to yourself, fully aware of its consequences." Rusl's voice was no longer kind. Though staying the same in volume, it descended an octave. "You would let this curse consume you until you were nothing more or less than a monster."

Link had to protest. "I wouldn't! It never would have come to that, I would make certain of it!"

"Certain? Bah! What exactly _is_ certain in the world? When it comes to the raw relics; power, wisdom, and courage, who's to say that anything is for certain? Everyone's lives, hopes, and dreams mingle with the uncertainty, all dependent on the single, most desired outcome they strive for! Your, _ability_ was something you were positive that could be controlled; yet here we are as such! You are very lucky, Link, and so is every member of the village, because the next few days would have seen you destroyed and us along with you!" Rusl's voice trailed off at the end of his statement. He stood up and walked aimlessly back and forth across the room, whispering something stifled to himself. He looked very much troubled. He now seemed to be unaware of Link's presence.

Neither one spoke for a long while. Link felt as though he was stewing in his own guilt, and he became more and more repentant as he reflected upon the events leading up to the present. He summoned up his courage and broke the silence. "Rusl, I am sorry. I know it must not mean much at the moment, but I truly am." He tried to make eye contact, but the older man averted his gaze.

When he received an answer, it was resolute. "Your actions, though careless and negligent, were without malice, and your apology is sincere. What has already taken place no longer matters. Trouble yourself no longer."

"But I must," Link pleaded. "The danger is not yet passed. I could still transform at any time."

Rusl nodded. "Which means we must decide on our future course of action. Tell me, is there any way to stop the transformations?"

"If there is, I will never know." Link collapsed back on his bed, heaving a sigh. "Destroying the gemstone would do nothing. It seems that I have only one option," he said miserably. "I must leave Ordon for good."

The wood from the floor creaked as Rusl stopped pacing and gave him a good long stare. "Don't make such a hasty decision," he told him sternly. "I understand how you must feel, but promise me that you won't rush into anything. Remember, you are no longer alone in your decisions. I will help you in any way that I can."

Overwhelmed, Link was silent. Finally he smiled weakly and nodded. "Thank you, Rusl."

There was a soft rapping at the door, followed by muffled voices from outside. Rusl suddenly grinned and kneeled by his table to pick up a few scattered items from off of the floor. "Well Link, I praise you for your skills in the art of espionage, but now your secret is the talk of the town."

Groaning pitifully, Link turned over and smothered his face with a pillow. "You not serious…" he moaned. "Does _everybody_ know?"

"Just about." Rusl was almost amused. "The reception will be decided soon enough, but until then, I must not keep your fan club waiting."

"Huh?" Link lifted himself back up.

With a cruel jerk of his hand, Rusl turned the doorknob and opened the door. In a blinding flash, four excited children bounded inside, all jumping on Link simultaneously. Talo, Malo, Colin, and Beth all surrounded him and drowned him with questions.

"Hey, Link, you're okay! So you can _really _turn into a wolf?" said Talo, looking almost giddy. "That is so cool! Why didn't you tell us about it?"

"It is rather extraordinary," said Malo. His non-emotional countenance never failed him.

Beth was extremely interested. "How long have you been able to do that, Link? How did you first transform?"

Colin was merciful and said nothing. He merely smiled encouragingly. Strangely enough, the other children followed his example and relented with the interrogation. Talo said, "Oh and Link, about that one day in the woods… we're sorry, Malo and I. Right?" He looked severely at his younger brother, who inclined his head reluctantly. "We're sorry we disobeyed you. Are you still mad at us?"

Link studied them with amazement. A smile tugged at his lips and he replied, "Of course not."

"I think," Rusl interrupted the reunion. "…That Link could use some rest. If you please." He gestured to the door.

"Okay." Talo was disappointed, but he led his brother and Beth out the door, and Colin followed them without another word. Before the door was closed, however, Ilia poked her head though. Her tired face brightened when she saw Link. "Sorry, but, couldn't I say hello for one minute?"

"Sure, come in," said Rusl, letting go of the door. "I will leave you two alone." He quietly slipped out the door and into the afternoon sun.

Ilia closed the door behind her and sat down on the edge of Link's bed. She looked fondly at him and said, "I am so relieved to see you alive."

"I was about to tell you the same thing," Link responded. "Did I harm you at all last night, when I was…. when I was a wolf?"

Ilia shook her head. Her emerald green eyes held a dulled glow, as if she pondered something in secret in her mind. "No, but you did save my life, if you don't remember."

"I did?" It took Link several minutes of hard thinking before he came to the realization. "That's right, I did."

"I wanted to thank you," said Ilia.

"You're welcome. But, I'm afraid it did not mean much at the time. I mean, it _was_ just my wolf instincts running amok. I could have killed you too, if given the chance."

"The point is that you didn't," Ilia told him firmly. "I don't know anything about the power that gives you this ability, but one thing that I know is this. You have something that others of your kind do not have; morality. And nothing, not even this shadow magic, will stand in the way of our friendship."

Link greatly appreciated Ilia's words. He extended his hand and she grasped it as tightly as she could. Both had nothing else to say for quite a long time.

* * *

** 1 DAY LATER**

The door shifted back and forth, but it seemed too heavy to move. "Link, let me in," Rusl's muffled voice said from the other side. Link walked over to the door, limping slightly from his two-day old leg injury, and lifted the bolt free and pushed the door open. He immediately turned and sat down when Rusl walked inside.

"Why did you lock the door?" Rusl asked him curiously.

"Sorry," Link apologized. "I just, I don't know…"

Rusl cast him a sympathetic gaze. "Link, you don't have to lock yourself up," he said. "You shouldn't. It gets to you."

"I just can't risk transforming while I'm out there walking freely," Link protested. He absentmindedly plucked a splinter from the peeling wooden table. He glanced up at the other man. "Besides that, I'm not so sure if I want to face all the villagers. The kids were one thing, but I'm as sure as anything that the adults won't be so impressed."

Without causing pain to his injuries, Rusl tried pushing Link into a standing position. "Come with me, you need fresh air."

"No! Don't leave the door open like that!" Link resisted him and turned away. "I don't want to hurt anybody else."

"And you won't, I promise." Rusl strapped his sword's scabbard over his shoulder and held it up for Link to see. "If it's any solace to you, I'll walk with you. And if anything happens, I'll be ready for it."

Link stared at the sword for a long minute, until he finally agreed. "All right, I'll go… just please don't make me say hello to anyone."

"I won't force you, Link, but I cannot keep everyone else from coming to us."

Breathing in outside air helped Link more than he thought. Even though walking aggravated the pains in his side, he still felt better than he had in days. He and Rusl took it slowly along the creek side and past the waterwheel. The village itself seemed so bright and cheery in the warm summery afternoon; there was barely any evidence of the horrors that took place the night before last.

Link groaned when he saw Mayor Bo emerge from his house. The large man squinted at them briefly then shouted, "Hey, Link! You got a minute to talk?"

"Err, okay…" Link looked pleadingly at Rusl.

"It'll be fine," the older man assured him. "I'll wait out here for you."

Once inside the Mayor's house, Link could see indication of the children staying in the house. Things were not exactly spotless, though despite the messiness the room still retained some form of order. Bo faced him from across his dining table, his face showing a relatively pleasant expression. "First of all, Link," he said. "I wanted to thank you personally for savin' my daughter the other night. I know what it could've cost you…"

"She's my best friend," Link told him. "I'd never let anything happen to her."

Bo nodded. His face remained the same. "Also, I just wanted to say that…I was mighty shocked to find out about your, problem." He seemed to be struggling to stay tactful about the situation. "I just want you to know that I don't hold anything against you for that. Why, when I think back to that one night when we chased you out of Ordon…I just get the willies."

"Well, Mayor, I…" Link said hesitantly. "I was thinking about it, and maybe it would be in everyone's best interest if I left Ordon."

"Oh, say it isn't so! Now that can't be our only option. Why Link, you'd be missed, dearly missed. In fact, if I may embellish a bit, you're the backbone of this village! Without you, our goatherds wouldn't get proper care. And you're real good with the kids, too. They look up to you, every one of them. Listen, Link, I think I know who I can talk to about this, and I can guarantee you a solution to your problem."

"Really?" Link was interested. "Who?"

"Sera, over at Sera's Sundries. You know her, right?" Bo asked. Link nodded. "Well, I think she can help you out. I've talked to her a few times, and she thinks she has the answer. Just, stick around until then, okay?"

* * *

Around sunset that same day, Mayor Bo had contacted Rusl, asking him to bring Link over to Sera's house. He did not say why, but it sounded urgent. After a good hard fight, Link finally consented to leave the house and go, although he threw Rusl a displeased look whenever he could.

With Rusl walking next to him, Link entered Sera's house while hiding his growing apprehension. The large, beefy woman standing behind the counter gave a small wave. "Young Link! Come in, come in, we've been expecting you!"

The woman lowered herself behind the counter and was rummaging noisily through the cupboards. "I just have to reach inside here for it…ah, here we go!"

When Sera appeared once again, she held a clear glass bottle in her pudgy hand. The bottle was filled with what looked like a powder of some kind. It was yellow in color.

"What is that?" Link asked.

"This is something for you," replied Sera. "This is ground aconite. That's an herb, dear. It's a flower that grows near here in the woods, and it's also known as monkshood or wolfsbane. Y'see, I know a thing or two about botany, and I found out that these plants have magical properties. Take this here supply home, and with a tea infuser, like this," she held up a little spoon-like item, only it had a silver ball on the end filled with holes. "Pour a little supply into the tea infuser and close it, like this. Then just stir it into water or tea, and drink."

Link took the bottle in his hands, eying the bits of yellow ground petals inside. "What does it do?"

"It dulls your wolf instincts a bit," Sera told him. "It should keep your mind rational whenever you transform, dearie. Even when you're a wolf, you'll think just like you do as a person. Just take the aconite three times daily, once with breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and you should be safe twenty four hours a day!"

"This…this seriously works?" A smile crept over Link's features.

"Absolutely." Sera returned his smile warmly. "You can always come back here to the shop if you ever run out."

"I…thank you," Link said breathlessly. He glanced over his shoulder at Rusl.

The older man told him, "We all want you to stay, Link. If you take that herb every day, you don't have to lock yourself up. We want you, as a man and a wolf, to stay where you belong."

* * *

A week passed, and the little village of Ordon was slowly returning to normal. Once Link had mostly recovered from his injuries, he moved back to his own tree house, although once he got there he found that he had to alter his house a bit. Instead of his bed sitting at the top floor near the window, he moved it to the bottom floor where he could easily access it as a wolf. The door was a little harder to change, since it still did not hang straight, and there was no easy way to slip though while he was transformed. After some time, Link decided to remove the door entirely. There was a large rectangular gap in the wall that allowed the cold or warm air to drift inside the house, but Link did not consider this a hassle, even though he would have no privacy when the kids were outside.

During that same week, Link returned to his work at the ranch. On his first day back he noticed that the fence he and Fado labored to build before was ripped out completely, leaving a trail of refilled holes in the dirt. Fado also relayed to him the problems that were still to be had.

"Those Stalhounds still roam the outer pastures," Fado told him worriedly. "Our herds have reduced in numbers. Those varmints don't seem to have learned their lesson, huh?"

"I predicted that," said Link. "And I think I know how to fix it. Turn around for second."

Fado did, with some uncertainty. When he was fully turned around, Link uttered the spell in his mind….

The wolf barked once and bounded forward onto the reaches of the pasture. He panted as he loped across the grass, startling some of the goats nearby. He trotted further away toward the farthest boundary of the ranch and slowed to a stop. He lifted his head up and sniffed the air.

The scent was nearly a day old, but it was strong and clear. The Stalhounds had appeared at the ranch again. The wolf lowered his nose to the soil and followed the scent trail, lumbering back and forth at times until he came to rest between a tree and a boulder.

A Stalhound was walking a little ways off; it paced along the boundary calling its terrible high-pitched screech. The skeletal creature stopped in its tracks, and looked to the wolf's direction.

The wolf bared a long fang and growled fiercely._ Leave._

The canine skeleton shook itself and scrambled away, intimidated by the wolf. He paused next to what looked like a burrow in the ground and disappeared.

Satisfied, the wolf turned and began to trot back to the goats, his tail held high. He then began to run flat out, yipping happily and darting right along the line of goats.

The animals all turned and galloped away from him, all clustering together and bleating at the intruder. The wolf was surrounding them by running back and forth, barking his message. Though the herd was large, he was able to keep them all together in a group.

He was slowly able to herd every individual goat into the barn, occasionally having to nip the heels of a straggler. When his task was finished, the wolf stood by the barn entrance, his chest heaving from the effort.

Fado jogged up to the wolf and said, "Wow, Link, that was somethin'! I suppose there's more than one way to herd goats, huh?" The wolf wagged his tail when he had caught his breath. "So y'all are fine, now? No bad symptoms, right?"

The wolf nodded his head, which was a rather odd thing to see an animal do, and he barked and bounded in a circle.

Fado chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes. I'm still a little uneasy about the wolf thing, Link, but I could get used to it. After all, y'all are needed now more than ever, with these monsters roamin' around the ranch. I think Epona'll appreciate the time off, though."

* * *

Sundown came rather early that evening. The wolf had taken a position atop a small hill to overlook the pasture. He decided that he would be most needed at nighttime, while the Stalhounds would roam in their biggest numbers. His ears pricked forward when he saw Ilia hiking toward him from the gate. The girl had to jog up the hill, and then she stopped in front of the wolf. "Hi, Link. You are Link, right?" The wolf wagged his tail in affirmative.

"Good." Ilia smiled. "May I sit with you?" She sat down cross-legged in the grass, sighing peacefully as she did. "I think it's wonderful how you're putting yourself to good use," she said. "Hopefully those beasts won't bother us for a while."

The wolf looked at her sideways, opening his mouth slightly to pant. Ilia giggled. "I have to admit, you're not so talkative this way," she remarked. "And yet…whenever I look at you now, I can still see you either way."

The wolf cocked his head.

"I mean," said Ilia. "When I see you as a wolf, I feel like I can still see you somewhere. It's your eyes, I think. They look exactly the same."

She raised her hand over the wolf's head and gave him a soft pat between the ears. "Still, it's funny to treat you like a dog," she said, grinning.

The wolf yawned widely and licked a claw, expressing his indifference. Ilia laughed again. Then the wolf stood on all fours suddenly, giving the girl a low whine.

"Why don't we head back to the village?" Ilia suggested. "I think the ranch is safe from predators, for now."

The girl and her wolf walked placidly back toward the gate to the corral, untroubled by the darkening sky. By the time each had made it safely home, night was upon them.

* * *

**A/N: Well, thanks to the people reading and reviewing, and I'm glad you enjoyed this short tale of mine. Just a few things I want to say:**

**1- The part about the aconite herb is true; Aconitum(its full name) is a real plant, and in old folklore and legend it was known as monkshood or wolfsbane, and it was thought to be a plant that could keep the ferocities of the dreaded werewolf in check. Please note: ACONITE IS A POISONOUS PLANT TO TOUCH, SMELL, AND INGEST! **

**2- Since this interesting plant's nickname is wolfsbane, that was where the name of this story was derived from. :) Also to you Harry Potter fans out there, you may remember this same plant from the Prisoner of Azkaban. It's the same herb Professor Lupin took every month when he transformed into a werewolf.**

**I did my homework for this chapter to get my facts right. Anyway, this short story is now completed, so I bid you all a good day.**

**Twilight Stallion**


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